title: [Obesity in the history of surgery].
abstract: Obesity is a problem that is reaching epidemic proportions throughout the world and bariatric surgery is now a rapidly growing technique. However existence of obesity in humans has been recognized for thousands of years, as statues dating from the Stone Age period appear to provide the earliest depictions. Hippocrates (466-355 b.C.) and Galen (131-201 a.C.) had a clear understanding of the condition, its consequences and medical treatment. On the other hand bariatric surgery was a xx century treatment, but at the end of the xix century it was known that the massive loss of small bowel or gastric resection after ulcer surgery resulted in persistent weight loss. Malabsorption and gastric restriction in isolation, or more commonly in combination, remain the main options to surgical control of weight. Unfortunately surgery as a non etiological treatment is an imperfect model to treat an incurable disease: morbid obesity. Prevention and better knowledge of disease would allow a tailored medical or surgical approach.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cirugía General, Unidad de Cirugía Bariátrica, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Oviedo, Asturias, España. jjglezglez@gmail.com
authors.forename: Juan José
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: González-González
authors.forename: Lourdes
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sanz-Alvarez
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: García Bernardo
mesh_terms: D050110:Bariatric Surgery / Q000266:history; D015904:Biliopancreatic Diversion; D015390:Gastric Bypass; D015391:Gastroplasty / Q000379:methods; D049668:History, 15th Century; D049669:History, 16th Century; D049670:History, 17th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049690:History, Ancient; D049691:History, Medieval; D006801:Humans; D007581:Jejunoileal Bypass; D009765:Obesity / Q000266:history* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000601:surgery*; D013030:Spain